


Eternity

by LaoisePotter



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: A little more than friendship, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2017-03-18
Packaged: 2018-10-07 06:29:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10354197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaoisePotter/pseuds/LaoisePotter
Summary: Keyleth ponders it with Vex.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This doesn't take place at any particular time or place in their adventures - just a snippet of a conversation I'm sure Keyleth has had with all the people she cares about.

"Do you ever think about it?

"Think about what?"

"How I'm going to outlive all of you."

Vex looks up. Keyleth kicks her feet idly in the water, sending lazy afternoon sunlight rippling across the surface of the lake. Vex watches the circles expand gently into nothingness one after another. "No, not really," she replies after a moment. "Why? Do you?"

"All the time," Keyleth says quietly. "More than I want to."

Vex pulls her knees up to her chest and rests her chin on them, studying her friend patiently. "Why is that, dear?"

"I don't know." Keyleth's kicks slow until her legs are dangling in the water, their movement affected only by the ripples. "It happens after every fight, especially if one of us almost dies. Especially if I'm the one to help bring you back." Her head drops a little. "I'm always reminded of the fact that no matter how many times I save you now, I am still going to bury you all someday. My father and my people keep telling me it's a gift, but..." She trails off as her fingers flex against the earth and small vines begin to creep over her wrists, as if to anchor her to the world itself. Seeing this, Vex reaches out and grasps her hand.

"Keyleth..."

The vines slowly rescind and Keyleth looks up, eyes shining with unshed tears. Vex's heart breaks a little at the sight of her weary and defeated expression. She slides her fingers through Keyleth's and grips a little tighter. "Can you feel this?"

Keyleth pinches her lips together and nods slightly after a moment. Vex scoots closer and pulls their joined hands to her chest, pressing the back of Keyleth's to the spot just above her heart. "Can you feel that?"

With a shuddering breath, Keyleth shuts her eyes and nods again. Vex uncurls herself and, keeping their hands tight to her chest, tugs Keyleth flush into her side. "I'm here, Keyleth," she soothes, lifting her free arm to trace her finger gently along the outline of her friend's jaw. "My heart is beating right now beside you."

"I know that," Keyleth mutters almost sheepishly, her voice still tense, but relaxes into Vex all the same.

"And I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon." Vex draws a line down Keyleth's neck, across her collarbone, and traces slow circular patterns around her shoulder. "It takes a lot to get rid of me, clearly, or else I would have been gone a long time ago."

Keyleth breathes out a laugh, further relaxing into her friend. "Yeah, you're pretty stubborn that way," she teases.

"Oh, you wouldn't have me any other way, darling."

"Mmm, I don't believe I would."

They sit in silence for a few minutes, both content in simply watching the water gleam before them.

"I love you, Vex."

A small, sad smile breaks out across Vex's face at the heaviness in her friend's tone. She lifts their hands up to kiss the back of Keyleth's. "I love you too, darling. And I'm going to for a very, very long time." Vex turns to kiss the side of her head as well. "Who knows, maybe in the next hundred years you'll figure out a way to tie my soul to a tree, and I can bother you for an eternity."

She can feel Keyleth smile against her shoulder. "You don't bother me, Vex."

"I suppose I need to try harder, then," Vex jokes with another squeeze of their hands. "Let's not tell the boys we got this sappy, yeah? I have a reputation to uphold."

Keyleth laughs. "Want to make sure most of them are still afraid of you, huh?"

"Well, all of them, preferably." Vex smiles back as Keyleth grins up at her, and presses another quick kiss to her upturned lips. "Are you feeling better? Ready to go back?"

Keyleth hums thoughtfully. "Yes, but..." She looks out over the lake again and snuggles further into Vex's side. "This is too nice a view to give up so soon."

Gazing thoughtfully at the beautiful Druid in her arms, Vex couldn't agree more.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey hi hello, my first work on AO3! Find me on Tumblr with the same username to see just how Critical Role trash I've become.


End file.
